Easy Birth Photography Tips

Birth Photography Tips

Birth Photography Tips! Birth photography is growing in popularity, and whether you’re a professional photographer or a soon-to-be grandma, if you’re shooting your first birth photo shoot you’re going to want to make sure you’re prepared!

My sister-in-law Cassie just had her first baby! She asked me to take photos of the birth and I was a little nervous. I had never done a birth, so I learned a lot taking hers. Here are a few of my tips!

Use Dramatic Lighting: Lighting in hospitals is definitely not set up for photographers. If you go into the room thinking in terms of using dramatic lighting to create an emotion (because let’s be real, birth is a pretty dramatic experience) then you will have a lot better photos than if you are trying to get photos with beautiful lighting. 

Shape and Form for Black and White: It’s pretty common for birth photos to be put in black and white. Some reason for this are because of the bad lighting and all the clutter in the room. Instead of thinking of black and white though as a fix, think of it as a plan. Black and white photos look best when you focus on the shapes and forms of the photo, so think about that while you’re taking your pictures.

Test Angles Before the Birth: Be sure to test your angles and have a plan for how you’re going to get certain shots before they happen. You will probably have to adjust when it’s actually happening but you will be able to move quicker and stay out of the way. 

Let the Nurses Know Your Plan: Let the nurses know that you really want to get a good shot of Mom holding baby for the first time, or Dad cutting the chord. For the most part you want to stay out of the way, but there will be slower moments. If you warn the nurses before hand, then it’ll be easier for you to jump in and slow down a moment.